Friday, 13 July 2012

Leftwing & Kody – Bump & Flex EP

Another sterling offering here from Andre Crom's Berlin-based OFF Recordings, who've quietly become of my favourite labels of the moment.

OFF's normal speciality is contemporary-sounding, forward-leaning tracks that bridge the gap between techno and deep house. This, though, sees the label – or more specifically, London-based duo Leftwing & Kody – going down an uncharacteristically straight-up house route. I'm not sure if Bump & Flex is named in tribute to the UK garage veterans of the same name, but it's got that sexy garage swing about it for sure… not to mention a throbbing, pulsing, almost rave-y bassline and disembodied spoken female vox. Very, very cool indeed. Crom's remix toughens up the beats a notch – without ruining it, but it's still the original for me I think.

Elsewhere on the EP, You Don't Know with its R&B-ish vocal snips leans even further towards UKG, Feel Free works another rave-y b-line with "come on" and "yeah"-type vocals, while Going Down… er, well, that's in a similar vein basically only with added piano. But it's a very pleasing vein to be in, it has to be said.

Again, then: this is big room fare the way it should be done, but mostly isn't. Don't sleep.

Out: This week

About: Find OFF Recordings at their website, on Facebook and on Soundcloud. Don't miss their ever-excellent podcast series, either.